Device for driving a pair of vertical rolls mounted in bearing chocks

ABSTRACT

A device for driving a pair of vertical rolls or the support shafts thereof mounted in bearing chocks, wherein the necks of the vertical rolls can be coupled to drive gear shafts which are each mounted in a gear housing which is connected to and is movable together with the respective chock. The drive gear shafts are constructed as vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts whose bevel gears mesh with the bevel gears of also unilateral bevel gear shafts in the form of hollow bevel gear shafts which are mounted horizontally and coaxially in the respective gear unit support housing. The hollow bevel gear shafts can be coupled to the drive unit through a floating intermediate shaft arranged between the two hollow shafts, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft is connected through an internal spline to an external spline of the intermediate shaft.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to a device for driving a pair of verticalrolls or the support shafts of the vertical rolls, wherein the verticalrolls or the support shafts are mounted in bearing chocks which can beadjusted by sliding them relative to each other, wherein the necks ofthe vertical rolls or of the support shafts can be coupled to drive gearshafts which are each mounted in a gear housing which is connected toand is moveable together with the respective chock.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Various embodiments of devices of the above-described type havebecome known for use in wire rolling trains and have the purpose offacilitating a precise adjustment. of the vertical rolls and an easyexchange thereof at high wire speeds.

[0005] In the device according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,587, the twovertical rolls can be placed from above into the bearing chocks whichare arranged in a guide frame so as to be horizontally moveable andadjustable relative to each other. Coupling sleeves can be placed on theupwardly projecting roll necks of the vertical rolls, wherein thecoupling sleeves can be driven for rotation by universal joint spindleshinged to the coupling sleeves and a common gear arrangement.

[0006] In another device known from EP 139 199 A1, the vertical rollsare each mounted in a horizontally moveable support housing and arecoupled with their downwardly directed roll necks to a gear unit, thehousing of which is connected and slidable with the support housing ofthe vertical rolls. The two combinations of support housing and gearhousing are slidable relative to each other and the vertical rollsthereof are each driven by a drive unit through a sliding couplingarrangement, wherein the drive unit is arranged laterally underneath therespective combination.

[0007] In another device known from JP 57190703, the horizontal rolls ofa pair of horizontal rolls are each placed on a roll support shaft whichis mounted in a bearing housing, which, in turn, is fixedly connected toa gear housing with a drive motor flanged thereon. Both housing andmotor combinations are connected to one another so as to be pivotable.The adjustment of the rolls is effected by pivoting this housing andmotor combination. For use in wire rolling trains, this combination canbe moved by means of appropriate support frames into different angularpositions, wherein the roll support shafts assume an appropriate angularposition relative to the rolling line.

[0008] All of these known embodiments are very complicated, some of themrequire two drive units, and, because of the large masses which have tobe moved, make it more difficult to carry out the precise and rapidadjustment of the vertical rolls which are required in the last standsof wire rolling trains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention toimprove the above-described devices in such a way that, in addition tobeing of significantly simpler construction and requiring only one driveunit for the device, a rapid and precise roll adjustment is madepossible.

[0010] In accordance with the present invention, the drive gear shaftsare constructed as vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts whosebevel gears mesh with the bevel gears of also unilateral bevel gearshafts in the form of hollow bevel gear shafts which are mountedhorizontally and coaxially in the respective gear unit support housing,wherein the hollow bevel gear shafts can be coupled to the drive unitthrough a floating intermediate shaft arranged between the two hollowshafts, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft is connected through aninternal spline to an external spline of the intermediate shaft.

[0011] The vertically mounted bevel gear shafts may be constructed attheir ends facing away from the bevel gears.

[0012] The various features of novelty which characterize the inventionare pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forminga part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in whichthere are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0013] In the drawing:

[0014]FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the device according to thepresent invention, as seen in the rolling direction, and partially insection; and

[0015]FIG. 2 is a partial view of the device of FIG. 1, also partiallyin section, on a larger scale.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the two vertical rollrings VWR1 and VWR2 are slid onto roll support shafts WTW1 and WTW2which are each mounted in one of the two bearing chocks LES1 and LES2which can be moved horizontally toward each other and away from eachother in a manner which is not illustrated.

[0017] Arranged underneath the bearing chocks are two gear housings GG1and GG2, wherein the gear housings are connected in a positively lockingmanner to the respective bearing chocks LES1 or LES2. Verticallysupported in each bearing chock is a bevel gear shaft KW1 or KW2 whichis provided with a downwardly directed bevel gear KR1 or KR2. As seen inFIG. 2, the bevel gears KR1 and KR2 mesh with bevel gears KR3 and KR4 ofhollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4 which are mounted horizontallyand coaxially relative to each other in the gear housings GG1 and GG2.One of the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 is axially slidably coupled toa drive spindle ASP. The two hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4 eachhave an internal spline ZP13 and ZP14, respectively. Arranged in thesesplines in an axially floating and slidable manner is an intermediateshaft whose end portions ZWA3 and ZWA4 are provided with splines ZPA3and ZPA4 which engage in and are axially moveable in the internalsplines ZP13 and ZP14 of the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 and KHW4.

[0018] As can be seen in the drawing, the bevel gear shafts KW1 and KW2mounted in the two gear housings GG1 and GG2 can follow the horizontaldisplacement movements of the bearing chocks LES1 and LES2 and the gearhousings GG1 and GG2 which are caused by adjustments of the verticalroll rings VWR1 and VWR2, because the hollow bevel gear shafts KHW3 andKHW4 are continuously drive-connected through their spline couplings tothe intermediate roll ZW.

[0019] As can also be seen in the drawing, the vertical bevel gearshafts KW1 and KW2 are at their ends facing away from the bevel gearsKR1 and KR2 and facing the roll support shafts WT1 and WT2 constructedas coupling members TR1 and TR2 for receiving the necks ZA1 and ZA2 ofthe roll support shafts WTW1 and WTW2, respectively.

[0020] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will beunderstood that the invention may be embodied otherwise withoutdeparting from such principles.

I claim:
 1. A device for driving a pair of vertical rolls or supportshafts of vertical rolls mounted in bearing chocks which are moveablerelative to each other, wherein the vertical rolls or the support shaftshave necks configured to be coupled to drive gear shafts, wherein eachdrive gear shaft is mounted in a gear housing connected to the bearingchocks and moveable together with the bearing chocks, wherein the drivegear shafts are vertically mounted unilateral bevel gear shafts withbevel gears mounted. so as to be in engagement with bevel gears ofhollow bevel gear shafts mounted horizontally coaxially in one of thegear housings, wherein each hollow bevel gear shaft has an internalspline, further comprising a floating intermediate shaft having anexternal spline and arranged between the gear wheel shafts so that theinternal and external splines engage in each other, wherein theintermediate shaft is adapted to be connected to a drive unit.
 2. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the vertically mounted bevel gearshafts comprise at ends thereof facing away from the bevel gearscoupling members for the necks of the vertical rolls or the supportshafts thereof.